Author: Noel Hemphill
After alcohol and hazing violations landed both Phi Kappa Psi and Delta Omicron Tau on probation, the Occidental College administration revised the policies on hazing and sexual misconduct. In presentations to the Greek community on campus at their chapter meetings, Devon MacIver and the Office of Student Life (OSL) have been working on making these policies known.
MacIver has been specifically making presentations on these changes to the Greek community. While MacIver overall praises the strength, academic excellence and engagement of the Occidental Greeks, the violations of alcohol and hazing policies are points that he believes all chapters – even those without incidents – need to improve on. MacIver’s system to further strengthen the Greeks is threefold. MacIver has the following goals: to talk about changes to sexual misconduct policies and being responsible hosts for social events – especially risk management – and to explain the hazing policy revisions and education component and the impact of hazing behavior on the whole of the Greek community.
MacIver believes that by using these small group situations to educate students on changes in the sexual misconduct policy, it will help afford more clarity for the whole student body.
“There seemed to be a lot of confusion among the student body,” MacIver said via email. ”I thought engaging with small groups of student leaders might help address some of that confusion. Then, to highlight the changes and talk about what they need to be doing as a chapter to educate their members on the policy and encourage early and consistent conversations about consensual and safe sex practices.”
Education on these subjects is all part of the greater goal of risk management among the Greeks. The presence of the MacIver in chapter meetings is not to make the administration more prominent but to educate all of the Greeks on their responsibilities. Risk management primarily comes in the form of providing the Greeks with presentations about the problems and incidents caused by alcohol use.
“My main messaging to the chapter leaders has been to try to have conversations regarding the alcohol policy because I believe the majority of our chapters should be doing more to manage risk around alcohol,” MacIver said. ”Hands down, we need to step up risk management,”
This message is being well understood and appreciated by the Greek organizations. Phi Psi vice president Jake Mallove (senior) believes that the presentations were very applicable to life at Occidental, as well as opening up a greater understanding for each Greek chapter to know their roles in risky situations.
“(MacIver) broke down exactly what our role should be if we encounter any of those situations and gave us very concrete ways to proceed,” Mallove said via email. “He gave the same presentation to all Greek chapters. They have helped us become more educated on the schools policies, making us more aware of our roles should we come in contact with a situation regarding these policies.”
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